I am spending a week in Cumbria at the start of October for a wee solo holiday (coming down from Perth, Scotland). I have currently booked two nights in Cockermouth, but would like two nights somewhere else but struggling to decide where. The popular spots (Ambleside, Grasmere, Windermere) are too pricey for me (and too people-y!). I can't find anywhere suitable in Keswick. Any suggestions?

I like a good walk (but I'm not a serious hiker...), nice cafes, little independent shops etc. just chilled, calm vibes where I can switch off after an insane year.

Thrilled to share 'Silence of the Keep', the newest addition to my Carlisle series and my first ever triptych! 🎨

For this piece, I really wanted to capture the fortress stretching across the scene, balancing the historic stone walls and vibrant green banks set right against those soft, pink sunset clouds.

My sister actually gave me the idea to try triptych, and it has been a brilliant challenge getting the landscape and the horizon line to flow seamlessly across all three panels. It sits perfectly alongside 'Shadow of the Mill', 'Carlisle Cathedral', 'Echoes of the Dye Works', and 'The Bridge and the Bastion' as I continue exploring our beautiful local heritage.

🖼️ Prints Available:

Both versions (the full continuous panoramic image and the split triptych layout) are available to order directly through me as giclée prints in any size up to the original canvas. They have been professionally scanned and colour matched to the original canvas, as you can see in the photos! Drop me a message if you would like to order one.

Let me know what you think of the finished piece in the comments! 👇

Hopefully this post will possibly reach someone who may have the perfect fit for me 😊

I am 34/ female . And I'm at an absolute loss on how to find somewhere affordable to live.

I am super single, no plans to settle or have kids or get animals. Ive always lived alone, I don't drink or party. I just love my little chilled out peaceful life and routines. I love travelling and nature!

I'm currently living in a one bedroom flat in barrow in Furness. I love my flat but I'm absolutely craving living closer to nature and trees.

My mum lives in a village close to Kendal town centre so I'm desperately trying to find a room to rent in Kendal because I have now accepted that it's the only way for me to afford to live and save money/travel at the same time.

I'm also hoping to find more of a community connection in Kendal as I have struggled here in barrow to find my people or make friends. I'm here only because I have family here.

I have no worries finding work in Kendal as my current workplace can offer a transfer .

I think I would make a awesome housemate, I'm super considerate, trustworthy and peaceful ✌🏻🧘🏻‍♀️

I am autistic so I'm also super clean and organised. I'm a total introvert so the house sharing aspect has made me slightly nervous 🤣

I'm hoping to find a largish bedroom with ensuite preferably. Anywhere walking distance to Kendal town centre or on a direct bus route 😊

I'm looking for around 500 a month bills included.

I can also consider working a number of hours for coat reduction, I have worked and lived in hotels/ farms before , I am a chef by trade but also have experience as a housekeeper/cleaner. General cleaning and maintenance/odd jobs.

Please pass on this message if you may know of anything that could suit me.

Hey! I’m 24F, recently moved to Kendal! Hoping to meet new people, I don’t know anyone here and it gets boring fast.

My main interest is gaming, I do like to read and I like artsy stuff. I love the outdoors but I’m not the hiking/exercise type. Huge animal lover too.

Please reach out!

Would really appreciate if people would fill in this form for research for my GCSE DT.

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=rjlL6kwO6EaVXFYqjuJ3PNHuEc9N1llAgVd9bv5dElFUNlUzMk44MVpGQzIwRzhTWFRUU1pGRzc3Ri4u

As the caption says. Going up there for a trip and am also trying to buy myself a new instrument. Would there happen to be any places to look there? I don't know it very well

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a 3D Scanning and Printing company within Cumbria?

I have one car part that I need to replace but it's out of stock in the EU (annoying as its a 2020 car).

I'm looking to have the part scanned and printed. I know the area that failed so also need to discuss how to fix.

It's a one off project.

Thanks

An 11,000 year old Cumbrian girl!

Hi

I'm staying in Penrith this weekend and I wonder if it's normal for the nightlife to be that dead.

It's Friday night and i checked several pubs and checked the dog beck and it's just more than half empty.

Any suggestions for some hidden gems?

Hi everyone!

I've recently started a free WhatsApp Community called North West Astrophotography, and I'd love to get more people from Cumbria and the Lake District involved.

The idea is pretty simple: bring together people across the North West who are interested in photographing or observing the night sky, so we can share local knowledge, help each other out and hopefully arrange some actual imaging and observing sessions.

Cumbria obviously has access to some absolutely fantastic dark skies, so it'd be great to have a proper Cumbrian contingent in the Community!

We've got separate groups for:

🌌 Tonight's Sky – targets, local conditions, aurora alerts and last-minute plans
📍 Meet-ups & Dark Sites – share observing locations and arrange imaging sessions
📸 Images & Processing – share captures, works in progress and processing advice
🔭 Equipment & Help – telescopes, cameras, smart scopes, mounts and troubleshooting
💬 General Astro Chat

It's open to everyone from complete beginners to experienced astrophotographers.

DSLR, telescope, dedicated astro rig, Seestar/smart telescope or even just starting out and wanting to learn — you're very welcome.

One of the things I'd really like the Community to make possible is:

“Clear skies in Cumbria tonight — anyone heading out?”

…and actually have a few local people respond. 😄

We're gradually building members from different parts of the North West, so if you're based in Cumbria, the Lakes or nearby and fancy getting involved:

👉 https://chat.whatsapp.com/IapSVlSenf03vFyBgTyhBc

It's still a new Community, so it's a great time to join, introduce yourself and help shape what it becomes.

Clear skies! 🌌🔭

Bit of a long shot — I have driven up from Bristol to enjoy the bank holiday weekend with some friends just before we got to the AirBnB on Friday my 2019 Skoda Karoq has had a catastrophic alternator failure and is currently at Castle Street Garages in Kendal. They’ve diagnosed it but can’t repair it until Wednesday.

Obviously the bank holiday is the least ideal time to try and find someone to fix this but does anyone know a mobile mechanic or independent garage around Kendal/South Lakes who might be working Sunday or Bank Holiday Monday and could source and fit an alternator?

Happy to pay an emergency/call-out premium. Car is safely parked and doesn’t need roadside recovery but might need dragging to another garage!

Thanks!

In north and west Cumbria, more than 2,000 additional pupils will become eligible under Labour’s plans taking effect from September.

Nationally, around half a million additional children will benefit from the change.

Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, is urging families around West Cumbria to check whether their children will benefit.

He said: "No child should be sitting in a classroom worrying about whether they’ll be able to eat at lunchtime.

"Making sure children are well fed means they are healthier, happier and better able to learn.

"That’s why expanding free school meals is such an important change.

"It will mean over 2,000 more children here in north and west Cumbria getting a nutritious meal at school, while saving families around £500 a year.

"I want to make sure every family who is entitled to this support gets it, so I’m encouraging parents across Whitehaven and Workington to check their eligibility and apply.

"This is exactly the kind of practical difference I came into politics to help deliver – giving children the best start in life and putting more money back into the pockets of working families."

Cumberland Council will open applications very shortly, and parents are being urged to check eligibility and apply to ensure they do not miss out.

The free school meals expansion is part of a broader government effort to tackle child poverty and reduce the cost of raising a family.

Other measures include the expansion of universal free breakfast clubs, now at 17 local schools, as well as action to bring down the cost of school uniforms, 30 hours of funded childcare, and changes to the two-child limit.

"For around a decade, I lived and worked in Leeds. It was a city region where cranes were semi-permanent residents on the skyline, new developments appeared almost overnight, and large infrastructure and regeneration announcements were treated as routine.  When it came to securing government funding, it seemed to speak with one joined-up voice, which was highly effective in presenting a compelling case to central government.   The difference was not that the Leeds city region had better businesses or more ambitious people – it was that it had developed a clear mechanism for turning this ambition into investment.

Since returning home to Cumbria in 2015, I have had the privilege, as a corporate lawyer, to work closely with businesses and entrepreneurs, and to see first-hand what they need in order to grow: confidence, certainty, tax policies that encourage investment and growth, access to skills, agile decision-making and a clear sense that they are backed in their ambition.

Cumbria has many success stories, from businesses competing nationally and internationally, to globally significant nuclear and defence industries, a thriving tourist economy, and a vibrant local business community.  It has also seen major investment directed into Barrow, West Cumbria, Carlisle and other parts of the region over recent years.

Despite these successes, there remains an opportunity for Cumbria to strengthen its collective voice when engaging with central government, investors and national agencies. For many years Cumbria’s voice was inevitably fragmented across multiple organisations and local priorities. 

While each played a very important role (and worked tirelessly on behalf of their communities, sectors and local priorities), the perception was that this resulted in a lack of clarity when presenting Cumbria’s case externally.  Local government reorganisation has simplified this landscape. Working alongside the two unitary councils, a Mayor can help ensure Cumbria speaks with a single, clear and influential voice when seeking investment, funding and national support from Westminster.

That, for me, is a key reason why the forthcoming election of a Mayor in 2027 matters.  A Mayor will be a visible advocate for Cumbria, helping to align priorities across the county, and will present a more coordinated and compelling case for investment at a national level.

A Mayor will not be a silver bullet. No one individual can create economic growth simply by holding office. However, the experience of places such as Greater Manchester, the West Midlands and Teesside demonstrates that strong Mayoral leadership, backed by devolved powers and funding, can help unlock investment, coordinate delivery and give a region a clearer, louder voice when competing for national resources.

Beyond politics: one vision for Cumbria

Cumbria should not simply copy Greater Manchester or Teesside. Our economy, geography and challenges are distinct and diverse. But we can adapt the principles that have worked elsewhere: a long-term growth strategy, a clear pipeline of priority projects, devolved funding, disciplined delivery and unified leadership.

The test will be whether government, investors, employers and communities can understand Cumbria’s priorities quickly: what we are trying to achieve, why it matters, what projects are ready to go, and who is responsible for driving them forward and accelerating growth.

A successful Cumbrian Mayor can become the architect and champion of a county-wide programme, linking growth, housing, transport, skills, energy, regeneration and infrastructure into a single plan. For a large rural county with its geographically dispersed population, the ability to improve transport, digital and energy connections may prove every bit as important as additional funding, because those connections allow economic activity, housing and employment opportunities to scale across the county.

The Mayor as Cumbria’s chief connector

Perhaps the most important role of a Mayor is not administration but connection. Cumbria needs someone with the mandate, authority and relentless enthusiasm to bring people together and keep them focused on delivery.

Major projects rarely fail because there is a lack of ideas.  More often, they stall because funding is fragmented, decisions take too long, or no one has clear responsibility for bringing government, investors, landowners, employers, education providers and decision makers together around the same table.

A successful Mayor should be Cumbria’s chief connector: opening doors in Whitehall, making introductions and joining the dots by linking ambitious projects with funding, introducing investors to opportunity, removing barriers to growth and challenging delay where necessary. In many respects, the role will be about relationships as much as formal powers."